Biliary atresia (BA) is the most common cause of cholestasis during infancy for which an etiology remains undetermined. Patients require hepatic portoenterostomy within the first 2-3 months of life in order to restore bile flow from the liver into the intestinal tract. Even with successful surgery, in most patients the disease advances to end-stage cirrhosis due to the progressive destruction of bile ducts, and requires liver transplantation in order for long term survival to be viable (Mack… CONTINUE READING